1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved goggle for sports and other activities where eye protection and improved vision are desirable. More particularly it relates to a goggle which incorporates a system of high and low pressure venting to facilitate the rapid circulation of air through the enclosed goggle thereby preventing fogging other problems caused by conventional goggles with limited or no air flow through the eye cavity behind the lens. The device also features optional moisture absorbing, or air flow control filters dimensioned for cooperative attachment at an exhaust aperture to increase or decrease the venting of moisture from the device and to absorb moisture during use and storage.
2. Prior Art
Skiing, motorcycling, and other sports which incorporate goggles for eye protection have become an ever more popular recreational pastime in the United States and throughout the world. Goggles are also especially popular for the military in areas with blowing sand or during parachute jumps and similar operations.
Since goggles are generally worn over the eyes of a user, it is most important that the eyesight of the user not be impaired by the goggles being worn and if possible, be improved by the goggles covering the eyes. In cold climates, and in freezing venues such as ski slopes and high altitudes, an inherent problem encountering goggle wearing individuals is that of fogging.
Fogging is caused by the temperature differential created in the enclosed area formed behind the goggle lens and in front of the face of the wearer and the air exterior to the goggle. The face of the user radiates heat and tends to heat the air inside the goggle and behind the lens much like the windshield of a car tends to fog when the air inside the car is warmer than the air outside the car causing fog or condensation on the window. Consequently, venting of the air inside the lens of a goggle is desirable to help overcome and prevent fogging of the lens that would inhibit the view of the wearer. Various patents have attempted to overcome the inherent tendency of goggles to fog in a cold environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,564, (Tackles) teaches a vented goggle however Tackles requires a plurality of tunnels or slots be formed in the mask portion of the goggle which are easily plugged by snow and especially ice if the skier falls or by dirt in a blowing sand environment. Tackles also lacks a low pressure system to pull air from the face cavity.
U.S. Patent 5,652,965 (Crooks) teaches a non fogging goggle but Crooks also uses an elongated slot formed in the mask portion below the lens that is easily clogged and also lacks negative pressure venting.
U.S. Patent 5,542,130 (Grabos)discloses goggle with a ventilation adjustment assembly having a plurality of apertures in the lens with a shutter to close them to adjust the flow of air. Grabos lacks a focused air flow on the apertures and any negative pressure to pull air from the cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,914 (Harris) teaches venting of a goggle like device. However, Harris lacks any positive pressure or negative pressure to aid in the flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,673 (Yamamoto) discloses ski goggles which have a heating means to heat the space between two lenses but lacks any pressurized ingress of air or low pressure evacuation of air from the internal cavity.
As such, there is a pressing need for a non fogging goggle that will work in cold and harsh environments. Such a goggle should have air venting-that is aided by focusing air moving toward the lens into the interior cavity at increased pressure. However such a device should not be easily clogged or hard to clean. Additionally, such a goggle device should provide additional ventilation of the interior cavity by creating negative pressure at exit apertures from the interior cavity to help evacuate the air therefrom. Such a device would be further enhanced by the provision of filters to absorb moisture or regulate the amount of air moving through the device and allow for adjustment thereof.
Applicant""s device is an improved goggle for use in skiing, motorcycling, and other sports and endeavors where the use of goggles is favored or required. The device features a plurality intake apertures on the goggle lense communicating with the eye chamber formed between the lens and the face of the wearer inside the goggle when mounted to a face. The intake apertures communicate air which in the herein disclosed device, are positioned in a plurality of points on the goggle. One set of apertures communicating through the lens, receives air that is pressurized by a curved slot or channel formed on a lip extending in front of the lens, which is dimensioned to focus air currents created by the moving wearer, to this lower lens aperture. A lower intake aperture underneath the lip also receives pressurized air from the air hitting the wearer""s face and being forced into the lower intake aperture by the protruding lip. A third set of intake apertures is positioned under a lip that overhangs the top of the lens and that causes air to redirect into the upper intake apertures under the upper lip.
A plurality of different venting apertures in both sides of the device communicate with the eye chamber and thereby vent air to the atmosphere. This venting is aided by a leading edge of the top of the goggle body and the two sides of the goggle body which is curved much like an airplane wing and creates lift or a low pressure area immediately adjacent to the side venting apertures to draw air out through the venting apertures from the eye chamber. Top venting apertures are also positioned just behind a lip that also creates negative pressure adjacent to the top venting apertures to aid in venting the eye chamber.
An optional insertable moisture trap filled with moisture absorbent material is dimensioned for cooperative engagement into one or both of the side venting apertures to aid in the adsorption of moisture from the eye chamber during storage or when the user is not in a moving condition and needs extra help in removal of moisture from the eye cavity. Also insertable would be a series of filters or apertures that can regulate the flow through the eye cavity by slowing or increasing the flow out of the side apertures.
It is an object of this invention to provide a goggle with one or a plurality of intentionally directed air flows which are targeted onto intake apertures to pressurize the air entering them and the flow through the intake apertures and into and out of the eye chamber of the goggle.
Another objective of this invention is to provide such an improved goggle which uses shaped side and top edges to create low pressure zones adjacent to vent apertures to draw air from the eye chamber.
An additional objective of this invention is to provide optionally insertable filter cartridges containing moisture adsorbent to aid in moisture evacuation from the eye chamber.
A still further object of this invention is the provision of air directional components that are not easily clogged by snow, ice, or dirt, and which can be easily cleaned.